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I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. S 



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Con)plirr\eryts of 

Charles S. Watern\ar). 




HISTORICAL SKETCH 



OF 



THE TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS, 



CHAKLES E. WATERMAN. 






MECHANIC FALLS, MAINE, 
LEDGER PUBLISHING COMPANY, 
1894. 



t, o 



Fi3 




CHARLES E. WATERMAN. 



PREFACE. 

The history in this volume was collected at odd moments in con- 
nection with and as an aid to local newspaper work, and is publish- 
ed in book form that it may help to preserve some things that are 
fast passing into oblivion. It does not pretend to be exhaustive, 
but care has been taken to it make it correct, so far as treated. 

Charles E. Waterman. 

Mechanic Falls, Maine, May i, i8g4. 



CONTENTS. 



PREFACE. 

CHAPTER I. 
INTRODUCTION, PAGE 9. 

CHAPTER II. 

THE VILLAGE AND TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS, 12. 

CHAPTER III. 
INDUSTRIAL AND MERCANTILE HISTORY, 16 

CHAPTER IV. 

PROFESSIONAL LIFE, 24 

CHAPTER V. 

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, 2S 

CHAPTER VI. 
SOCIETIES, 31 

CHAPTER VII. 
SCHOOLS, 40 

CHAPTER VIII. 

POLITICAL HISTORY , 42 . 

CHAPTER IX. 

PIGEON HILL, 4*:. 

CHAPTER X. 
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, 4JI 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The State of Maine may have been the first section of the United, 
States to be discovered by white men. At least it is quite certain 
the Northmen sailed along the coast before the year iooo and that 
they continued to visit the New England shores at intervals, until 
the tenth century. Cabot on his second voyage, in 1498, the 
French expedition under Verrazano in 1524, the Spanish under 
Gomez in 1525, the English Rut in 1527 and the French priest, 
Andre Thevet, in 1556, each skirted the coast in turn but estab- 
lished no settlement. 

The first attempt to settle upon the territory of Maine was made 
in 1604 by the French under Du Mont on Neutral Island in 
the St. Croix River. Du Mont had received a grant from the 
King of France, but the locality of his settlement proved unfavor- 
able and was abandoned in 1605. In 1605 Weymouth visited the 
coast and his voyage led to the formation of a company the next 
year with Captain George Popham at its head and Captain Raleigh 
(iilbert as Admiral, for the colonization of Maine territory for which 
a charter had been granted by King James, extending from north 
latitude 34 to 44, They planted a colony at the mouth of the 
Kennebec River, but circumstances being unfavorable it was given 
up in 1607. In 16 13 a French Jesuit mission was established on 
Mount Desert Island only to be driven off by the English. In 



IO 



1616, Sir Fernando Gorges sent his agent Richard Vines along the 
coast, who wintered on the Saco River. About the same time a 
temporary colony of fishermen was established at Monhegan Island 
by the adventurer, Captain John Smith. In 1622 the Plymouth 
Company obtained a grant of the territory lying between the Mer- 
rimac and Kennebec Rivers and in 1623 planted the first perma- 
nent settlement of Maine at the mouth of the Piscataqua River. 
From this time until 1675 English settlements along the coast west 
of the Penobscot River increased and prospered ; east of the river 
the territory was occupied by the French. In 1675 au " *he settle- 
ments were devastated by the Indian war. 

Among these settlements was that made by Thomas Purchas on 
the Androscoggin River at what is now Brunswick and who owned 
a large tract of land on both sides of the Androscoggin, known as 
the Pejepscot claim. This man was driven from his possessions 
by the Indian war of 1675 and, it is thought, never returned. He 
died in Lynn, Massachusetts, May 1, 1678. His will dated May 2, 
1677, was probated June 4, 1678, by which he gave his wife one- 
third of his estate and the balance to his five children. Richard 
Wharton, an Englishman by birth and a merchant of Boston con 
ceived the idea of establishing a manor after the plan of English 
gentlemen, and bought out the Purchas heirs, also the claims of the 
heirs of George Way of Dorchester, England, who had a grant of 
lands included within the Purchas territory, and all the lands 
bought by Purchas of Indian sagamores. Besides this he secured 
a deed signed by six Indian sagamores in 1685, conveying to him 
the land on both sides of the Androscoggin River, as far as the 
uppermost falls in said Androscoggin River by which is meant 
those now known as Lewiston Falls. 

The territory north of the Pejepscot claim was incorporated as 
Bakerstown. 

In 1735 "John Tyler, Joseph Pike and others, officers and sol 
diers in the expedition to Canada, Anno domini 1690, under the 
command of Captain John March, Captain Stephen Greenlief and 
Captain Phillip Nelson," petitioned the General Court of Massa- 
chusetts for two townships of land in consideration of their military 
services and their petition was granted February 3, 1736. One of 



these lots was called Bakerstown in honor of Captain Thomas 
Baker, who in 1720 killed the sachem Waterumus on the bank of 
a small stream entering the Pemigewasset near Plymouth, still 
known as Baker's River. This township was laid out by Richard 
Hazzen, surveyor, "Westerly of Merrimac river an 1 northerly of 
and adjoining to Contocook." Massachusetts at that time claimed 
the territory occupied by this grant, but in 1741 King George 
created the province of New Hampshire and in fixing the boun lary 
between the two provinces, Bakerstown was included in the New 
Hampshire grant. This action made the Massachusetts title in- 
valid. Before this separation, the proprietors petitioned his maj- 
esty, that the territory embraced in Bakerstown be allowed to re- 
main in the province of Massachusetts Bay, but to no avail. In 
1764 a petition for the relief of this lost township was made to the 
General Court and in 1765 they granted "a township of land in 
the Province of Maine to be laid out on the east side of the Saco 
River and to adjoin some former grants." The township was to 
be seven and one-half miles squaie, 8,600 acres being allowed for 
water. The location was not to interfere with the Pejepscot claim 
or the township of New Gloucester which had been previously in- 
corporated. The first settler of Bakerstown was Nathaniel Bailey, 
or as some say, Daniel Bailey, and both settled at what is now 
known as East Poland. The limits of Bakerstown exceeded the 
original grant and were ma le to include the present towns of Po- 
land, Minot, Auburn, and Mechanic Falls. 

Although Pejepscot and the earlier settlements along the coast 
of Maine had been under a number of different governments, 
Bakerstown prior to the Revolution had always been under the 
jurisdiction of Massachusetts Bay. After the Revolution, Maine re- 
mained a part of Massachusetts until 1820, when she became a 
State by herself. The territory comprised in the original planta- 
tion of Bakerstown was first a part of Cumberland County but was 
incorporated as a part of Androscoggin County March 18, 1854, 
when it was formed. 



T2 



CHAPTER II. 



THE VILLAGE AND TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS. 



It was the village of Mechanic Falls that made the town of 
Mechanic Falls, and its territory was a part of ancient Bakerstown. 
The name of this plantation had been changed in 1795, when it 
was incorporated as the 93rd town and named Poland. There is a 
difference of opinion as to the origin of the name. Some say it 
was named after the famous Indian chief, Poland ; some after the 
country in Europe and some after the ancient hymn-melody. In 
r8o2 Poland was divided and the portion on the eastern side of 
the Little Androscoggin River was incorporated on February 18th, 
of that year as the 129th town and named Minot. This latter por- 
tion was sub-divided in 1852 and the town of Auburn formed, 
which has since become a city. The territory of the town of Dan- 
ville which was annexed to Auburn February 26, 1867, had 
been set off from Poland territory in 1852. 

That portion of Bakerstown now occupied by the town of Mech- 
anic Falls was the last portion of its territory to be settled, and was 
made up of about equal portions of the towns of Poland and Minot. 
It was the water power of the Little Androscoggin that attracted 
settlers. This river is about forty miles long and the area of its 
basin is 280 square miles, discharging about 10,920,000,000 cubic 
feet of water. It is variable, according to the season, as to the 
quantity of water discharged and this inequality is adjusted by the 
use of the numerous ponds for storage purposes. There are two 



L3 



falls in the river within the territory of Mechanic Falls, one at 
Pages Mills of fourteen feet fall within a distance of fifteen hun- 
dred feet with a volume of i 7,000 cubic feet of water per minute, 
and one at the village proper of thirty-seven feet in a distance of 
nine hundred and fifty feet, with a volume of 20,000 cubic feet of 
water per minute and a velocity of current of ninety-six feet per 
minute. There are twenty-one ponds above the village with an 
area of twenty- eight square miles, all of which can be used for 
storage purposes. 

It was as late as 1823, while the land was still covered with a 
heavy forest, that Isaiah and Luther Perkins with Captain James 
Farris of Hebron, erected a saw mill on what was then the Poland 
.side of the river. This mill was soon burned and another was 
built, owned in part, in connection with the above named persons, by 
a Mr. Smith of Portland. This also was burned and another was 
built which stood until 1867, when it was taken down to be re- 
placed by a paper mill. . A small lumber mill was also erected on 
the Minot side by Aseph Churchill and a grist mill by Isaiah 
Perkins. 

The first dwelling house was erected in 1828 by Dean Andrews, 
who worked in the mills, on what is now Pleasant Street near the site 
of the residence of O. ti. Dwinal. The same year Isaiah Perkins 
erected a barn on what is now Main Street nearly opposite the 
Methodist church, and the following year a house near by, which 
are still standing, and the oldest buildings in the village. The first 
building on the Poland side was erected by Luther Perkins very 
nearly on the site of the Grand Trunk depot. The first store was 
erected by Isaiah Perkins on what is now Post Office Square near 
where Perry's Block recently stood. 

The growth of the village was at first slow as but very few work- 
men were needed in the lumber mills of the early years. The first 
great impetus to growth was made by the establishment of the 
Atlantic & St. Lawrence Railroad, now the Grand Trunk, and its 
completion to this point in 1849, made a boom for the town. 
People flocked in and the village grew rapidly. The next year it 
passed on to South Paris and the bubble burst. It has been paper 
making that has been of permanent value to the village and made 



M 



it what it is. The first mill was built in 1851 by Ebenezer Drake 
and Ezra Mitchell. Mitchell's part was soon purchased by Oliver 
B. Dwinal and this firm carried on business until it was sold to 
A. C. Denison & Co. in 1865. In 185 1, the last named company 
bought out Messrs. Perkins, Dunham, Moore and Water house who 
had succeeded the original proprietors, on the Poland side and be- 
gan the manufacture of paper, which has been continued with 
some changes of ownership until the present time 

Mechanic Falls is not a designed town. It happened by chance. 
For many years it had no name. Dr. Jacob Tevvksbury, a famous 
physician half a century ago in Oxford, who was called to officiate 
at the birth of the first child born in Mechanic Falls (Isaiah 
Andrews, son of Dean Andrews, the first resident), called the place 
"Jericho" from his bitter experience on this trip occuring in the 
night and causing him to travel over rough logging roads for seven 
miles. It bore this name for some time. In early times, it is 
said, that it took a good deal of grog to run the place and for this 
reason, the name "Jericho" was succeeded by "Groggy Harbor ;" 
but the popular name was "Bog Falls", which clung to it until 
1 84 1 , when a post office was established and at the suggestion of 
the first postmaster, Samuel F. Waterman, it was called Mechanics' 
Falls, which was changed to Mechanic Falls in 1887 at the sug- 
gestion of postmaster Frank A. Millett. 

The village being situated in two towns found that its interests 
could not be served as well as they ought to be and an effort was 
made in 1889 to have the two sides incorporated, that a better 
system of police and fire protection could be inaugurated and 
better schools established. Many were opposed to this. The 
legislature of 1889 granted a charter for this purpose with the 
provision that it must be accepted by a majority of the voters on 
both sides. This charter was defeated by the lack of six votes 
on the Poland side. On February 29, 1891, the Poland side was 
incorporated under a charter granted by the legislature that 
winter, when was inaugurated the plan of a village divided against 
itself. This did not meet with the satisfaction of the larger por- 
tion of the citizens and a petition was presented to the legislature 
of 1893 to set off the following defined portions of the towns of 



r 5 



Poland and Minot and form the town of Mechanic Falls. After a 
severe struggle this act was passed March, 22 1893. The town 
limits are as follows : 

Beginning at a point in Gardiner brook (so called) on to Ox- 
ford town line where said brook enters the town of Minot ; thence 
following said Oxford town line to Winter brook (so called) in 
the town of Poland ; following the line of said brook to the road 
near Winter brook bridge, (so called) ; thence following the line 
of said road leading to Mechanic Falls to Cousins brook (so 
called) ; thence following the line of said Cousins brook (so called) 
to Waterhouse brook (so called) ; thence continuing from said 
Waterhouse brook to the lot line at the south-westerly corner of 
the Alanson Briggs place in Poland ; thence continuing on said 
lot line to the Little Androscoggin River ; thence up the line of 
said river to a point where Bog brook (so called) enters the same ; 
thence up said Bog brook to Gardiner brook (so called) ; thence 
up the line of said Gardiner brook to the point of beginning on 
Oxford line. 



i6 



CHAPTER III. 



INDUSTRIAL AND MERCANTILE HISTORY. 



It was the waterpower of the Little Androscoggin which oc- 
casioned the settlement of the land on the present site of the vil- 
lage of Mechanic Falls and has been the sole source of its growth 
and prosperity, therefore the industrial and mercantile pursuits of 
the place deserve a chapter by themselves. To present things in 
their natural order, the manufacturies which have been promoted 
by the falls would come first. 

The natural industries of the State of Maine have been the 
turning of the products of her forests into merchandise and there- 
fore the pioneer industry of every town, almost without exception, 
has been lumbering. To this rule Mechanic Falls was no excep- 
tion. The first industry was a lumber mill which was situated on, 
what is now known, as the upper dam. Boards, shingles, and 
boxes were turned out here and the mill operated by Isaiah 
Perkins, Luther Perkins and James Farris. In the box mill a 
Mr. Smith of Portland owned a share. This was built as has al- 
ready been stated, in 1823. This business continued with some 
changes until 1851. Messrs, Moore, Dunham and Waterhouse 
had bought into the water power and introduced small woolen 
manufacturies of their own. Shortly after the building of the first 
saw mill, a grist mill was erected by Isaiah Perkins which for 
many years, did a large business for the times. 

In 1 85 1, the character of the business changed, in the line of 



17 



natural resource, although unwittingly at the time, to the manu- 
facture of paper. At that time rags were almost exclusively used 
for this purpose and no one dreamed of the possibilities held in 
our forests, in the way of pulp. The first paper mill was built by 
Ebenezer Drake and Ezra Mitchell on the eastern side of the 
river, in 1851. Oliver B. Dwinal and W. C. Dwinal soon bought 
out Mitchell's share and this firm was known as Drake, Dwinal & 
Co., who continued in this business until 1865, when they sol ! 
out to A. C. Denison & Co., who had already established a busi- 
ness of the same kind on the opposite side of the river. 

A. (_'. Denison & Co., built their first mill, known as the Eagle, 
in 1 85 1, having bought out one-half of the power at the upper 
dam. The firm consisted of Adna C. Denison and E. VV. Filer. 
This mill with machinery cost $45,000 and made from rag stock, 
a ton of paper every twenty- four hours. In 1862 Adna T. 
Denison bought out Filer's interests and machinery to prepare and 
use straw was introduced at considerable expense. In 1865 the 
land below the upper mills was bought, the second dam built 
and the Star mill completed. In 1S65, also anew mill was built on 
the site of the old Drake & Dwinal mill. In 1866, the lower dam and 
Poland Pulp mill wtre built, also the stone dam and flumes on 
the upper privilege. About the same time the mills and privilege 
at Range Pond were purchased with rights of flowage and a stone 
reservoir dam built. At the next legislature a charter was obtained 
to control the water. The Calendar mill on the upper dam was 
built also at this time, as well as machine and carpenter shops. 
In 1873 The Denison Paper Manufacturing Company was formed 
with a capital stock of $500,000. Adna C. Adna T., and Mrs. C. 
M. Cram, stockholders. In 1879 and 1880 a chemical pulp mill 
was built at Canton to supply the mills at Mechanic Falls with 
pulp. In 1887 these extensive works passed into the hands of a 
new company known as the Poland Paper Company, with a capital 
stock of $300,000. The officers of this company were : Presi- 
dent, Arthur Sewall, Bath ; Chas. R. Milliken, clerk and treasurer, 
Portland ; directors, Arthur Sewall, James Munroe, George C. 
Wing, W. S. Dana, W. G. Davis, W. H. Milliken, Frank I). True : 
superintendent, C. H. Milliken. At the time they acquired this 



i8 



property it employed 175 hands, used twenty tons of pulp daily 
and its monthly shipment of manufactured goods amounted to 
$50,000. In 1 89 1 a spur track was laid from the Grand Trunk. 
Railway line, one-half mile below the depot to the mills. The same 
year the carpenter and machine shops of the company were 
burned, which were rebuilt with brick the following year. In 
1893 a gigantic brick mill was built extending from the Poland 
Pulp mill, which forms a part of the new mill on the lower dam 
to the Eagle on the upper dam with a capacity of thirty tons of 
manufactured paper per day. The Star mill which had stood in 
the center of the new mill was torn down and a stone wall built 
the entire way changing the course of the river and turning quite 
a portion of river bottom into dry land and covered in part by 
the site of the new mill. Ac the annual meeting of the Company 
in January 1894, the following officers were elected : VV. G. Davis, 
president; C. R, Milliken, treasurer; C. H. Milliken, clerk: 
William G. Davis, James Munroe, George C. Wing, W. S. Dana, 
W. F. Milliken, F. D, True, C. H. Milliken, directors. 

One mile above the village and within the limits of the town, 
is another privilege, which for many years was owned an 1 used a^ 
a saw mill by Moses Page. In 1868, this privilege was bought 
by J. A. Bucknam, who improved the lumber and grist mills and 
operated them for fifteen years, Since that time the privilege has 
been unused. 

For many years John Winslow run a tannery on ground now 
occupied as a part of the site of the Diamond paper mill. Along 
in the seventies Mr. Winslow failed and the property passed into 
the hands of Warren Winslow, who operated it a few years when 
it was sold to A. C. Denison & Co. 

Cabinet making has been carried on in the town since 1841 by 
Lowell Valentine, Nelson Valentine, R. L. McPherson, William 
Eldridge, D. S. Perkins, D. B. Perry and J. S. Merrill. In 1878, 
Andrew J. Weston began as contractor and builder and has con- 
tinued ever since. 

Brick making has been a prominent business ever since 1865. 
For many years there was a yard on Main Street near its junction 
with Dwinal, but it has not been operated for twenty years. 



19 

Fessenden & Morrill operated one for many year, on the Poland 
road. This was sold in the seventies to Thurston & Waterhouse 
who operated it until 1880 when it was discontinued. In 1893 a 
new yard was opened on Water Street by the Mechanic Falls 
Brick Company, consisting of Horace Purington & Co., of Water- 
ville, and F. O. Purington, of Mechanic Falls. 

In the early seventies, the shoe manufacturies of Massachusetts 
began to feel the power of combined labor and to desire to get 
away from those centers which made this power possible ; so they 
made overtures to small country villages to erect them factories 
and thereby increase their size and importance. Mechanic Falls 
took advantage of one of these opportunities and built the factory 
on Main Street near the Grand Trunk Railway for Berry, Field & 
Company. But the village was unfortunate in this company, as 
it has been in every one since that time. It soon failed. The 
Ventilating Waterproof Company took its place to stay but a short 
time. Then came Thompson & Company to follow in the path of 
the others. The old factory then passed into the hands of J. A. 
Bucknam & Company, and has since been used as a ready made 
clothing factory. In 1881 J. Harris & Sons of Marblehead, Massa- 
chusetts, made a proposition to the village to build them a factory 
which they would lease for ten years, and < arry on therein the 
manufacture of shoes. This the village concluded to do and or- 
ganized the Mechanic Falls Manufacturing Company for the pur- 
pose of building the proposed building. O. B. Dwinal was elected 
president, which position he filled until 1892, with the exception 
of one year when C. E. Stevens filled the chair, when F. H. 
McDonald was elected. P. R. Cobb has been secretary since its 
formation. The proposed factory was built at a cost of $15,000, 
and occupied by the lessees. They stayed for the stipulated time 
when they concluded to return to their factories in Marblehead. 
Labor had become organized in the small towns the same as in 
cities and it was no advantage for companies to remain so far 
from the base of operations and many a Maine town suffered from 
the loss of this industry. 

In 1 87 1 the village embarked in an industry from which it 
hoped to reap great profits. This was the ' manufacture of maga- 
zine rifles, invented by George F. Evans. The Evans Rifle Com- 



20 



pany was organized for this purpose. The majority of this stock 
was owned by the Denison Paper Company. This arm was 
adopted by the Russian government, but the expense of equipping 
the shop to make the guns was so great that it failed both com- 
panies and the plant was moved to Massachusetts in 1878. 

The Packing Business was inaugurated here in 1873, by J- ^ • 
Jones. In 1886 it passed into the hands of General Charles P. 
Mattocks, and in 1890, into those of John Hanscom and in 1891 
it was leased to the Portland Packing Company. In 1888 a new 
company was formed in the village, known as the Minot Packing 
Company, formed by H. E. Thurston, andj. A Gerry, of Mechanic 
Falls and H. F. Hayford and J. W. Bicknell of Canton. In 1890 
Hayford and Bicknell sold their interests to the former patrons. 
They built a factory at West Minot and in 1893 another at 
Sumner. 

The manufacture of clothing has been carried on in this village 
for many years by J. A. Bucknam & Co. Dwinal & Golderman, 
Joseph Bucknam & Son, Goldermann & Cummings, P. T. Murray 
and W. B. Bucknam. The former company have carried it on to 
a large extent and have at times, given employment to as many as 
one thousand persons. 

Toothpicks have been manufactured in town by E. E. Edge- 
comb and E. A. Harris. 

Pumps were manufactured at one time by T. B. Swan and J. 
C. Walker. 

Confectionery has been manufactured in town since 1884 by 
M. N. Royal & Co. 

Dirigo Laurtdry was established in 1884 and in 1885 it came 
into the possession of D. B. Morse, who was succeeded by J. P. 
Chaffin, and in 1890 by F. H. McDonald. 

In 1872 the machine shop and foundry of J. W. Penney was 
established and has grown from a small beginning to large pro- 
portions. In 1884 A. R. and S. R. Penney were admitted to the 
firm and the nam^^M nged to J. W. Penney & Sons. 

* " & iT*rfii«striesr\ which, while not directly located in the 
Among ine mciusuicsi , , j 

village, have been a source of prosperity is the railroads. The 

' Rr St Lawrence VRailroad was organized and a charter ob- 



tained February 10, 1845. It reached Mechanic Falls in 1849, 
bringing a boom to the place. It continued on to Montreal and 
in later years to Chicago, with a branch to Quebec. 

On June 22, 1847, a road running from Mechanic Falls to 
Huckfield was chartered and opened on October 10, 1849, known 
as the Buckfield Branch. Tnis soon failed and was succeeded by 
the Portland & Oxford Central Railroad Company, who operated 
it off and on for twenty years, extending it to Canton, The) 
finally abandoned it. In 1874 it was resurrected by the Rumford 
Falls & Buckfield Railroad Company. In 1892 it was extended to 
Rumford Falls and in 1893, to Auburn, and opened to traffic to the 
latter place on February 12, 1894. 

The first merchant in town was Isaiah Perkins, who opened a 
general store soon after the erection of his mill in 1823. Albert 
Valentine moved from Westbrook to this town in 1833 and opened 
a store near the depot. In 1840 Mr. Valentine was joined in 
trade by William Cobb of Hebron, which firm continued until 
1849. Captain Jacob Dwinal opened a store here in 1836. Isaac 
Dwinal came from Hebron in 1836 and opened a store 
He was succeeded by his son Alexander. O. B. & W. C. Dwinal 
succeeded their father Jacob, and after the war by K. E. Dwinal and 
A. Goldermann. I. D. Cushman opened the railroad store in 
i860. He was succeeded in turn by Frank Danforth, Pulsifer & 
Lane, Pulsifer & Waterhouse, Thurston & Waterhouse, I). B. 
Waterhouse and S. S. Waterhouse. In 1847 tne store of Joseph 
Hall and Ezra Mitchell was sold to the firm of Joseph and Josiah 
A. Bucknam, a West Minot firm. In 1852 Joseph sold out to his 
brother. In r862 the firm became Bucknam & Cobb by admit- 
ting Francis H. Cobb as a partner. In 1864 L. H. Jones became 
a partner. In 1869 Mr. Cobb retired and the firm was reorgan 
ized by admitting C. H. Dwinal, Joseph and W. B. Bucknam, and 
the firm became J. A. Bucknam & Co. In 1870 Joseph Bucknam 
died and E. A. Gammon bought out Mr. Jones' share. In 1879 
Messrs. Dwinal and W. B. Bucknam sold their interests. Mr. 
Dwinal in connection with his brother founded the firm of O. B. 
& C. H. Dwinal in that year, which continued until October 17, 
1893, when C. H. Dwinal died, and his sons, F. E. & W. C. 



Dwinal bought out 0. B. Dvvinal's share and succeeded to the 
business. January 30, 1894, Mr. K. A. Gimmon purchased J. A. 
Bucknara's share in the firm of J. A. Bucknam & Co., an I con- 
tinued under the old name. 

For quite a number of years the firm of Mark and J. D. Curtis 
occupied a store on Main Street. After the death of Mark Curtis 
J. D. Curtis continued alone until the admission of his son-in-law 
L. A. Moulton, who formerly had been in the fancy goods business 
in Orono, Lewiston and this place under firm name of L. A. 
Moulton & Co. O. VV. Hawkes, and Hawkes & Whitney have 
carried on the hardware business here for many years and later 
Ellsworth & Bucknam. F. A. Goldermann is shoe dealer. I. A. 
Denison, VV. A. Tobie, F. H. McDonald, & Co., J. B. Perry & 
Co., Merrill Bros., F. A. Millett, D. B. Holt. G. G. Bridgham, 

D. N. McCann & Co., I. F. McCann & Co., J. A. Maggoon, A. 
G. Tinkham, C. D. T. Crockett, George Dwinal, H. N. Nelson, 
F. Andrews, E. A. Hall, Hall & Frost, Hall & Lunt, S. T. Rowe 
and many others whose names I cannot obtain, have carried on 
the grocery business in town. Milton Robinson, Jason Hall, J. 
C. Walker, T. C. Holt, T. C. Turner, E. A Thomas, M. N. Porter 
and Merrill & Denning the apothecary business. John Owen, 

E. F. Stevens, a Mr. Partridge, Colby Raws >n, George I. Folsom, 
and H. M. Mayberry have carried on the harness busin- . s. The 
The firms engaged in cabinet business have done a general house 
furnishing business and in addition to these I would mention G. 
C. Bonney. Z. Lane has been engaged for many years in the 
jewelry business. A. VV. Anthoine, William Richards, and E. C. 
Barnard have also been engaged in the same business. There have 
been many millinery stores in town, but 1 am unable to gather 
any statistics regarding them Mrs. M. H. T. Merrill, with her 
sisters in former years, has been engaged in the business for two 
decades, and besides her, has been Mrs. Nichols, Mrs. Edwards, 
Mrs. McAllister, Mrs. Bowker, and others. A. G. Woodsum has 
for some years been engaged in the clothing business and C. O. 
Cole, A. A. Shorey and A. W. Bridge, in the confectionery business. 
There are many names of which I have been unable to find any 
statistics. 

The first hotel was built in 1836 by Isaac Dwinal. William 



23 



Cobb for many years run what was known as the Union House 
where P. R. Cobb now keeps Cobb's Hotel. In 1859 A. (". 
Denison built the riagle Hotel which name has since been changed 
to The Elms and later to Hotel Elmwood. 

A Savings Bank was founded in town along in the sixties, but 
never went into operation. A Loan and Building Association was 
•organized September 25, 1890, with D. B. Perry, president; F. 
H. McDonald, treasurer and J. H. DeCoster, secretary, and later 
H. E. Thurston, president; J. H. DeCoster, treasurer; and A. A. 
Woodsum, secretary. 

D. B. Perry, C.S. Gurney, E. M, Thurston, and O.C. Bridge have 
been photographers. 

Dentists, Dr. Childs, J. W. Curtis, N. Gammon, N. T. Marshall, 
A. W. Butler, and W. H. Spear. 




L. A. MOULTON & COMPANY'S STORF.. 



24 



CHAPTER IV. 



PROFESSIONAL LIFE. 



Close after the industrial life of the village and town comes the 
professional life. The first need of this kind in any community is 
the physician. Statistics in regard to professions are more scanty 
than in the industrial life, and this record can be scarcely more 
than a list of names. 

The first settled physician of Mechanic Falls was Josiah Carr, 
who not only practiced here for forty years, but was one of the 
first citizens of the village. Doctors D. W. Sawyer, C. L. Holt, 
J. M. Eveleth, 11. L. Torrey, E. F. Bradford, A. L. (iaubert, J. 
D. Holt, Albion Cobb, C. M. Cobb and C. H. Tobie, of the 
allopathic school have practiced here; homeopathic, Henry Waters, 
William Waters, E. C. Heath and A. D. Bowman. 

The names of the legal profession are not so numerous as those 
of the physicians and are as follows : Robert Carr, Wm. H. Mc- 
lellan, David Dunn, T. B. Swan, C. F. Whitman, C. L. Warren, 
Elliot King, J. M. Libby, I. W. Hanson, J. A. Roberts, William 
(ireen, and F. O. Purington. 

The newspaper life of a village is always interesting and Mechan- 
ic Falls has witnessed many attempts to establish one within the 
narrow limits which its situation assigns to journalism. 

The Down Easter, published by William Cady was the first 
paper of the village — a small sheet whose life was short. The 



2 5 

Androscoggin Herald was started in 1867 by William Moody and 
John F. Moody. This continued several years and during this 
time the senior proprietor became sole owner. He removed the 
plant to Skowhegan. William Moody has been connected 
with the Somerset Reporter, The Woman's Journal and Boston 
Hern Id, and his brother John has been the successful principal of 
and Hebron, Bridgton Academies and the Edward Little Institute. 
After an interval in which no paper was published the Herald was 
resurrected by William H. Clark & Son, and published several 
years, when it was removed to Auburn where it died. 

Shortly after the removal of the Herald, the Citizen was estab- 
lished by Charles S. Allen and Charles Moore. After a year or 
so, Moore sold out to Allen, who run it several years when he sold 
out to Thurston & Garland. In a year or two the senior partner, 
Mr. H. E. Thurston, sold his share to the junior partner and his 
father, who continued until 1882, when the paper was discontinued. 
In 1884 The Mechanic Falls Ledger was established by H. A. 
Poole and F. L. Davis. Davis soon sold out to Poole and shortly 
after G. W. Poole was admitted to the firm, under the name of 
Poole Brothers. They run in connection with the Ledger, a large 
book and job printing establishment. This firm failed in 1892 
and the Ledger was discontinued in March of that year. The plant 
of this company was purchased in June of the same year by 
Charles E. Waterman, F. H. McDonald and F. L. Perkins, who 
re-established the Ledger on the first of July, 1892. 

Besides these papers devoted to local matters, a monthly devoted 
to the Masonic Relief Association was published by W. W. Merrill 
and The Bee-Keepers' Advance by J. B. Mason & Sons. In the 
spring of 1892, The Weekly News was established by E. F. Edge- 
comb, but it run only three months. 

Book making has been indulged in by citizens of the village to 
a limited extent. Mrs. Julia Schayer made the village her resi- 
dence a portion of the time during the seventies and incorporated 
a part of her experience here in a book entitled "Tiger Lily". 
Rev. M. J. Steere, who was once pastor of the Universalist church, 
was the author of a book called "Footprints Heavenward." In 
1 890 a History of Poland was published by H. A. and G. W. 



Poole which had the peculiarity of being written by Poland men, 
set up, electrotyped and printed by Poland workmen, in a Poland 
office and on paper manufactured in the same town. In 1.S92 1 >r. 
K. F. Bradford published a medical work entitled "A Handbook 
of Emergencies and Common Ailments," which has had a large 
sale. 

The clergy will be treated in the chapter devoted to the 
church. 




CONGREGATION A! AND 



28 



CHAPTER V. 



FCCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 



The history of a New England town would be incomplete with- • 
out a chapter devoted to her churches, and while towns found- 
ed in later years have not bestowed the same attention upon reli- 
gion as those founded by the Pilgrim fathers, nevertheless they 
still occupy a prominent place in society. 

The first regularly organized church in Mechanic Falls was that 
of the Congregational society. The earlier believers in this par- 
ticular faith had been members of the church at Poland and the 
organization in the village of Mechanic Falls was at first a branch 
of that church. The church was organized by an ecclesiastical 
council held in the house of John Valentine, June 15, 1845, with 
the following persons as members: John Valentine, Joseph H. 
Hall, Sophia Hall, Salmon Hackett, Laurana Hackett, Samuel 
Chandler, Lowell and Nelson Valentine, Mrs. Pamelia P'oss and 
Mrs. Nancy P, Alden. The two branches of the church were under 
the charge of Rev, Thomas Williams preaching on alternate Sun- 
days at Poland Corner and Mechanic Falls. The first church 
service was held in the school house on the eastern side of the 
river, July 12, 1840. The lot on which the present church edi- 
fice stands was presented by John Valentine and a vestry was 
built during the summer of 1841, and dedicated December 30, 
1841. On November 2, 1842, the branch became an independent 
body with Rev. Nathan Cobb as pastor. The church edifice was 



2 9 

completed and dedicated in 1848 and the old vestry removed in 
1850. In 1886 the church was remodeled, repaired and a base- 
ment vestry added in 1886. Following is a list of the pastors: 
Nathan Cobb, 1 842- 1847 ; Enos Merrill, 1847-1855 ; William N. 
Jordan, 1855-1859; Horatio Illsley, 1859-1862 ; Joseph Kyte, 
1862-1864 ; the pulpit was then supplied by Revs. George W. Camp- 
bell, E. T. Bouchers, F. M. Davis, A. C. Herrick, E. S. Jordan, 
H. Witcher, R. J. Langradge and Profs. Stanley, Hayes and Angell 
until April 1, 1874, when Rev. F. E. Emrich became pastor and 
remained until 1882. He was succeeded by Rev. C. A. White 
from 1882 to 1888; Rev. H. S. Woodrow, 1888 to 1S89 ; then 
by Rev. F. Newport. 

The second church and in some respects the oldest, was the 
Free Baptist. Rev. Christopher Macy, of this denomination it 
seems, preached here as early as 1828. In 1847 this society 
united with the others in building a union church which was sold 
to the Baptists in 1889. This church has had few regular pastors 
with long intervales in which there was no preaching at all. 

The first Baptist conference was held at Mechanic Falls in the 
fall of 1855 and preaching was sustained one- fourth of the time 
by Rev. A. K. P. Small. The church was organized in September 
1857, with forty-one members. Following is a list of pastors : 
A. K. P. Small, D. D., Adam Wilson, D. i)., Abner Merrill, A. 
C. Herrick, L. P. Gurney, R. J. Langradge, J. S. Studley, C. E. 
Harden and W. H.Clark. Messrs. W. Swett and R. Denning, 
members of the church, occupied the pulpit at times. R. B. An 
drews, Eben Drake, A. B. Dwinal, Joseph Bucknam, S. Woodman. 
Gilman Thayer and S. U. Hawkes have been deacons. Isaac P. 
Bumpus, A. B. Dwinal, and J. S. Merrill have been clerks. In 
1888 the church was remodelled, repaired, and re-dedicated. 

Mechanic Falls was made a station of the Methodist church by 
the Maine Annual Conference, April 27, 1859, with Rev. J. C. 
Perry as pastor. Before this time services by this denomination 
had been held in the Union church, which was partly owned by 
Methodists, a portion of the time by the pastors in charge of the 
Poland church and circuit. A church edifice was erected on Main 
Street and dedicated in i860. This was burned April t, 1877. 



A new church was soon erected and dedicated in [880. Follow- 
ing is a list of pastors: Revs. J. C. Perry, 1856, James Mc- 
Millan, i860, Kinsman Atkinson, 1861, J. C. Perry, 1862-63, 
[oh 11 Woodbury, [864, William H. Foster, [865-66, John Gibson, 
[867-68, Joseph Hawkes, [869-70; J. A. Fletcher, 1871; Danie' 
W'aterhouse, 1872-74; W. 15. Bartlett, [875-77; J. H. Trask. 
1878 ; H. Chase, 1879-80 ; Daniel Church, [881-83 ; W. S. Jones, 
1885-87; C. F. Cobb, [888-90; C. E. Springer, 1890; C. 
F. Parsons, 1891-92 ; and G. C. Andrews, 1893. The parsonage 
was built in 1872. 

It is recorded that the first Universalist sermon ever preached 
in Mechanic Falls was by Rev. Zenas Thompson in 1840. A 
church was organized April 8, 1X62, and services held in Curtis 
Hall. A church was built and dedicated in January 1864. Rev 
A. ('.. Gaines, D. I >., was the first pastor and he lias been followed 
b) Revs. Zenas Thompson, S. S. Davis, M. J. Steere, C. S. Whit- 
man, W. W. Hooper, W. S. Perkins, R. F. Johonnet, G. G. Hamil- 
ton, and F. K. Barton. In 1875, the church was enlarged and a 
vestry, called Murray Hall built underneath. 

The Adventists have hehl occasional meetings in Mechanic Falls 
for many years and a yearly campmeeting was held at Pottle Grove 
for two decades or so, until 1890, when the Androscoggin Camp 
Meeting Association bought fifteen acres on the Lewiston roa 1, 
erected buildings - an 1 seat* wher-j their yearly meetings are now 
held. A taw years ago ;i church was organized in town, holding 
their meetings in halls. The}' have had two pastors, — Rev. J. A. 
Libby and Rev. Mrs. Jessie Jordan. 

A local union of The Womens' Christian Temperance Union was 
organized in this village, August 2, t888, with Mrs. S. 1. Jewett as 
president and Miss M. E. Perkins, secretary. 

I he organization of chapters of the Christian Kndeavorers and 
of the Epworth League took place in [890. 



;' 



CHAPTER VI. 



Sl Mil I IKS. 



In the earlier history of the older towns much space is occupied 
by the church, and it is very evident that theology occupied a 
prominent place in the minds of men ; but in later years this theme 
seems to be relegated to the background and practical Christianity 
has come to the front, and as a means of carrying out plans in 
this direction, so called secret societies have been formed. These 
societies occupy a prominent place in the modern life of every 
village, and Mechanic balls is no exception to the general rule. 

The first of these societies to be organized in almost every vil- 
lage was a masonic lodge. On January 21, 1853, a dispensation 
was granted to George Moore, Daniel W. True, Nathaniel Bray, 
Augustus Goldermann, George Hathaway, [osiah Carr and Samuel 
Atwood to open and hold a Freemason's lodge in Mechanic Falls, 
to be known as Fraternal Lodge. George Moore was firs! 
master and the first meeting U. I)., was held on January 24, 1853. 
Fraternal Lodge held nineteen communications but when a charter 
was granted May 10, 1853, it was to Tyrian Lodge, No. 73, with 
rank of precedence from January 1, 1853. Following is a list 01 
past masters : 

George Moore, D. P. Atwood, Josiah Carr, Augustus Golder- 
mann, Alonzo P. Lamb, C. D. Hackett, J. M. Eveleth, E. (i. 
Hawkes, P. R Cobb, George W. Sholes, E. F. Ross, D. B. Perry. 
H. B. King, John Richardson, E. F. Stevens, J. M. Libby, H. N 



32 



Whittle, H. C. Bray, E. F. Edgecomb, J. H. King, F. R. Harmon, 
H. E. Dennen, and O. H. Guptill. 

In 1872, ninth month and twenty-sixth day a dispensation was 
granted for a chapter of Royal Arch Masons at Mechanic Falls, 
to be known as Union Royal Arch Chapter. The chapter held its 
first meeting October 8, 1872, and a charter was granted May 7, 
l &73> which was constituted October 9, 1873. I' 1 1882 a dispen- 
sation was given changing the place of meeting to Norway and the 
next year that place was continued as the home of the chapter. 
Following is a list of High Priests while the chapter had its home 
in Mechanic Falls : 

J. M. Eveleth, E. F. Stevens, P. R. Cobb, T- F. Briggs. 

In 1 89 1 a dispensation was granted for St. Andrews Royal Arch 
Chapter and a charter granted July 14, 1893. Following is a list 
of the High Priests : 

P. R. Cobb and C. R. Denning. 

In September, 1874, Alvin Reed, Charles H. Dwinal, F. A. 
Millett, G. L. Reed and D. N. McCann held an informal meeting 
to see about the propriety of organizing a lodge of Odd Fellows. 
Their application was granted and Monami Lodge, No. 40, was insti- 
tuted November 20, 1874. Colfax Lodge, No. 20, Daughters of 
Rebekah is connected with this lodge. Following is a list of the 
Past Grands : 

Alvin Reed, A. Lewis Gaubert, George L. Reel, Palmer T. 
Murray, Nathaniel Gammon, Hiram Perkins, David F. Cummings 
Charles F. Brown, Herbert A. Gerry, Addison F^, True, Albert V. 
Hathaway, Frank E. Thurlow, E. F. Bradford, T. 1). Sale, O. H. 
Guptill, George Andrews, Charles P. Lawrence, F. Newport, Chas. 
H. Dwinal, Andrew J. Weston, Frank A. Millett, John W. Pray, 
Calvin M. Cram, Diman B. Perry, John F. Briggs, Jesse M. Libby, 
Luther Perkins. John E. Saunders, George W. Robbins, J. K. 
Denning, W. W. Dennen, Ernest K. Holbrook, Charles Lane, A. 
B. Clapp, A. V. Edie, F. A. Goldermann. 

Orion F^ncampment of Odd Fallows was instituted November 
20, 1878. Following is a list of Past Chief Patriarchs : 

George L. Reed, Frank A. Millett, Diman B. Perry, Hiram 
Perkins, P. T. Murray, Wm. M. Greenleaf, P. D. Herrick, Luther 



33 



Perkins, A. J. Weston, A. Lewis Gaubert, Charles Lane, E. A. 
Thomas, Geo. VV. Robbins, S. T. Rowe, F. E. Thurlow, A. V. 
Hathaway, H. E. Thurston, O. H. Guptill, A. E. True, W. W. 
I >ennen, L. W. Mason. 

St. Elmo Lodge, Knights of Pythias, was instituted at Mechanic 
Falls, December 18, 1885, called after the famous fortress which 
once protected and still looks down on the city and bay of Naples. 
The past chancellors are A. W. Bridge, O. C. Bridge, W. \V. Den- 
nen, C. H. Dwinal, W. R. Farris, F. B. Jordan, B. F. Lunt, W. H. 
Lunt, R. F. Mayberry, F. H. McDonald, W. I. Merrill, D. B. 
Perry, J. B. Perry, H. S. Rich, A. E. Robinson, H. E. Pettee, F. 
(). Purington, M. C. B. Prince, J. W. Gookin, George F. Need- 
ham. 

Charity Assembly, No. 10, Pythian Sisterhood, is connected with 
this lodge. 

Osceola Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men, No. 24, was es- 
tablished in this village, February 13, 1891. Following are the 
Past Sachems : L. W. Mason, D. B. Perry, PL J. Leeman, James 
McQuinn, F. C. Chaplin, C. M. Hutchins and D. L. Cousins. 

Agassiz Commandery, United Order of the Golden Cross, No. 
24, was established 1880. 

Androscoggin Lodge of the New England Order of Protection, 
was established January 23, 1893. The Past Wardens are F. H. 
McDonald, VV. H. Mitchell, A. A. Shorey, John Thomas. 

Perhaps as important as any of the organizations of this nature 
is A. A. Dwinal Post, Grand Army of the Republic, reminding us 
as it does, of a struggle yet familiar to middle-aged people and to 
which the nation reverts with pride. The post was named after 
one of the youngest citizen soldiers of Mechanic Falls and a Lieu- 
tenant of the seventeenth Maine Regiment. It was instituted July 
18, 1872. The following persons have filled the post of com- 
mander : 

Josiah Carr, H. A. Sawyer, H. T. Bucknam, Edward Fuller, E. 
K. Ross, F. R. Harmon, H. B. King, W. H. Poole, W. C. Bridge, 
('. B. Adams, G. B. Robbins, F. E. Dwinal. A. L. Downs, G. VV. 
Sholes, F. A. Millett, C. N. Burns, Orrin Downs, Joseph Gould, 
A. V. Edie, D. D. Skinner. Connected with this Post is the A. 



34 



A. Dwinal Relief Corps, and A. J. Pettee Camp, No. 60, Sons of 
Veterans, 

In 1887 the post erected a monument in memory of those who 
fell during the war as the following inscription taken from it will 
show. 

Dedicated May 30, A. D., 1887, 

To the memory 

Of those comrades who died 

I )uring the war 

1861-1865, 

By A. A. Dwinal 

Post, No. 3, 

and 

Woman's Relief Corps, No. 32, 

G. A. R., 

Mechanic Falls, Maine. 

In looking over the list of men in the Adjutant General s report 
accredited to the towns of Minot and Poland, 1 have picked out, 
so far as I am able so to do, those who lived at that time within 
the present limits of the town of Mechanic Falls. If in the list 
below any names are missing, it is unintentional : 

FIRST MAIM-. REGIMENT. 



Wellington Dwinal, 


Co. B, 


private. 


H. H. Hutchinson, 


<< a 


u 


Charles E. Harris, 


it a 


(I 


A. H. Hutchinson, 


11 <( 


(( 


Hiram B. King, 


Co. A, 


u 


Orrin Dwinal, 


" G, 


a 


Hiram P. Bailey, 


ti << 


(t 


Eleazor B. Atwood, 


" H, 


a 


Elmer Chipman, 


« K, 


a 




FOURTH MAINE REGIMENT. 


Josiah Carr, 




Surgeon. 



35 



William A. Tohie, 
Hamlin T. Bucknam, 
Charles Andrews, 
John F. Bancroft, ' 

William A. Campbell, ' 
Charles W. Campbell, " 
Augustus A. Dwinal, 
Burbank Spiller, " 

Almund H. Hutchinson, " 
Samuel H. Hutchinson, " 
Henry H. Hutchinson, " 
Charles F. McKenney, " 
Harrison J. Dwinal, " 

Wellington Dwinal, " 

Charles Dore, " 

Arthur M. Brown, 
William E. Morton, " 

William H. Everett, 
Fabian Churchill, " 

Adelbert Churchill, 



HFTH MAINE REGIMENT. 

Co. K, Captain. 

" " ist Lt. promoted to Cap. Sept. 23, 61. 

" " Private, missing in action May 3, 63. 



" Private, 
<< <« 

" Sergeant, 

" 1 st Lieutenant, 

" Private, 



Private, 



E, " transfd. to navy. 

C, " died May 14 1853. 

K, " killed May 3, 1863. 

" " killed. 



NINETH MAINE REGIMENT. 



Joseph H. Durgin, 
Cyrus M. Lord, 
Ezra Mitchell, Jr., 
Robert W. Carr, 
James F. Gerry, 
Isaac A. Whittemore, 
Percival D. Herrick, 
James N. Nason, 
Lemuel T. Marshall, 



Lorenzo Mayberry, 
( ieorge J. Fuller, 
Elmer Chipman, 



Co, B, 


Private. 


" F, 


<« 


u x, 


a 


" K, 


(i 


" B, 


It 


" c, 


<( 


" F, 


(< 


" G, 


<< 


« F, 


<< 


TENTH MAINE REG 


Co. C, 


it 


" H, 


" kille 


" K, 


K 



36 



Hiram C. Curtis, 
Albion A. Drake, 
Joseph C. Bray, 
Azel W. Drake, 



Darius Holt, 
James R. Holt, 
Samuel L. Brown, 
James S. Small, 



ELEVENTH MAINE REGIMENT. 

Co. F, " died July i, 1862. 

<< ti <« 
" H, " 

TWELFTH MAINE REGIMENT. 

Co. G, « 

<< tt « 

tt << << 

" K, " 

FOURTEENTH MAINE REGIMENT. 



William M. Perkins, Co. G, Sergeant. 

Lewis J. Morton, " " Private prom, to Sergt. and Lt. Co. B. 

Newton E. Stowe, " " Corporal transferred to Co. B. 

Charles E. Strout, " " Private. 

FIFTEENTH MAINE REGIMENT. 

George P. McCarty, Co. C, " 

SEVENTEENTH MAINE REGIMENT. 

Augustus Goldermann, Co. C, Captain. 



A. M. Churchill. 
Asa L. Downs, 
Alexander Campbell, 
James L. Fuller, 
George F. Perkins, 
George F. Sawyer, 
Orrin Whittemore, 
Otho W. Burnham, 
George G. Bridgham, 
John Noyes, 
Andrew J. Pettee, 
Tilson Waterman, 
Josiah Winslow, 



" Private. 

" Sergeant. 

" Private, died in service. 

" " killed in action. 



" " Lieutenant. 

" « Private. 

(< u tt 

" " " killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863. 

" " " transferred to V. R. C. 



37 



TWENTY-THIRD MAINE REGIMENT. 

Hiram Moore, Co. D, Lieutenant. 

Frank H. Hall, « D, Corporal. 

James L. Dingley, " D, Private. 
Stephen G. Bray, " G, 
Ezra D. Chandler, 
Lemuel T. Marshall, 
Edwin Woodsum, 
David Woodsum, 

TWENTY-FIFTH REGIMENT. 

Josiah Carr, Surgeon. 

TWENTY -SEVENTH MAINE REGIMENT. 

William E. Farrar, unassigned company. 

TWENTY-NINTH MAINE REGIMENT. 



L. F. Tenney, 


Co, 


A, 


Private 


Dexter D. Skinner, 


tt 


« 


« 


Elmer Chipman, 


<< 


D, 


«< 


Zebedee Cushman, 


« 


G, 


K 




THIRTIETH MAW 


Josiah Carr, 






Surgeo 



Francis E. Dwinal, Co. A, ist Lieutenant. 

Ronello C. Dwinal, " A, Corporal. 

Darius Holt, " A, Private. 

Jabez T. Denning, " " Sergeant. 

Edward F. Ross, •' " Private. 

FIRST MAINE VETERANS. 

Augustus A. Dwinal, Co. A., Sergt. prom, to Lt. Co. G. 
Henry H. Hutchinson, " " first Sergeant, 



Richard E. Maxwell, 



Hiram B. King, 
Horace Perkins, 



FIRST BATTALION. 

private. 

FIRST D. C. CAVALRY. 

private. 



•-- 




soldier's monument. 



39 




hk;h school iirirnixi; 



40 



CHAPTER VII. 



SCHOOLS. 



United States, and especially New England, has prided herself 
that thejiasis of her free institutions lay in her public schools. 
The older towns all made provisions for the maintenance, not only 
of public schools, but set apart portions of land for the endowment 
of institutions of higher education. Mechanic Falls as a town by 
itself was founded so late as to take public schools as a matter that 
had been established and needing nothing of a special nature ; 
nevertheless the schools of the village as parts of the towns of 
Minot and Poland have received particular attention and they 
have been the pride of the village. 

The early schools of Mechanic Falls presented the same char- 
acteristics as those of other towns. They were the ungraded dis- 
trict schools, where boys and girls between the ages 
of four and twenty-one congregated during term times. There 
were two of these district schools, No. i, established in 1S31 on 
the Minot side of the river and supported by that town and No. 20, 
on the other side of the river supported by Poland. 

Along in the sixties there arose a desire for better schools which 
culminated on March 22, 1867, in a petition to Justice S. F. 
Waterman signed by E. G. Hawkes, A. C. Denison, A. T. Denison, 
O. W. Hawkes, William Childs, J. A. Bucknam, K. M. Thurston, 
I ). S. Perkins and J. S. Merrill to call a meeting which resulted 
in the formation of a union district comprised of the district No. 1 
Minot, and No. 20 Poland. This district was formed March 



4i 



30, 1867. Rev - A - G. Gaines, D. D., J. M. Eveleth, M. D., Alan- 
son Briggs and A. T. Denison were elected to grade the schools. 

In 187 1 the need of a new building to accommodate the number 
and different grades of the scholars in the village was deeply felt, 
which resulted in the building of the brick school building on 
Water Street in which until 1883 was held the high school. 
Nathaniel Cushman, J. S. Gerry, O. B. Dwinal, O. B. Moore and 
Alanson Briggs, were the building committee. It cost $8,863 &5 • 

At a special meeting November 26, 1887, the town of Po- 
land abolished the district school system and adopted the town 
system, thereby terminating the union district, all but paying a 
debt of $2,000 00 on the Water Street school house, which was 
raised at a special meeting held April 7, 1888. This left the 
Poland side without adequate school buildings. On the annual 
meeting of March 12, [888, Poland voted to raise $5,000 to 
build a suitable school building at Mechanic Falls. A fine build- 
ing was erected on Elm Street and completed in season for the 
fall term of school of that year, at a cost of $4,942, under charge 
of W. W. Waterman and A. J. Weston. From 1888 to 1893 the 
village supported two sets of schools from high to primary. Since 
the formation of the new town the Elm Street school house has 
been used for the high school. 



4 2 



CHAPTER VIII. 



POLITICAL HISTORY. 



Mechanic Falls has not had much of a political history in itself. 
Its political interests in the past lay with the towns of Poland and 
Minot. About the only thing, political, of a local nature, has bee'n 
the post office. 

The post office was established October 27, 1841. Following is 
a list of postmasters and the date of their appointment : 

Samuel F. Waterman, October 27 1841 ; Jacob Dwinal, July 21, 
1845 ; Samuel Carr, May ?, 1849 ; Merrill W. Strout, July 7, 1851 : 
Alexander B. Dwinal, February 24, 1853 ; Charles K. Smith, July 2, 
1856 ; Samuel F. Waterman, June 26, 1861 ; Oliver B. Dwinal, 
October 8, 1866 ; Joseph Bucknam, April S, 1869 ; Jason Hall, Ju- 
ly 19, 1869 ; F. E. Dwinal, April 1, 1883 ; Frank A. Millett, Feb- 
ruary 22, 1887 ; F. E. Dwinal, April 1. 1891. 

Within the last decade a large number of the citizens felt the 
need of greater unity in the village and deplored the fact that it 
was situated in two towns. The first effort in this direction was 
made before the legislature of 1889 and after a hard fought battle 
a charter to incorporate the village was granted, providing the in- 
strument was accepted by a majority of the voters in the village on 
both sides of the river. The Minot side voted to accept ; but six votes 
was lacking on the Poland side to pass the measure. This meeting 
took place February 25, 1890. 

The next legislature was petitioned to incorporate the Poland 
side, which was granted and adopted by the Poland side of the village 



43 



February 20, 1891. The corporation was organized with the fol- 
lowing officers : A. E. True, C. L. Hackett and S. I. Jewett, 
assessors ; A. W. Butler, clerk ; D. B. Waterhouse, collector ; James 
Stanton, Treasurer; E. W. Jordan and Fred C. Chaplin, fire war- 
dens. 

This, however did not give universal satisfaction and left Minot 
side with no organization. A petition to incorporate Minot side in 
a similar manner as the Poland side drawn up by F. O. Pur- 
ington, signed by F. A. Merrill and Charles E. Waterman, was ad- 
vertised but not presented before the legislature. The citizens of 
both sides unanimously agreed that something better was needed 
and on petition of F. H. McDonald and one hundred and ten oth- 
ers, a meeting of the citizens was called December 10, 1892, at 
which A- E. True was chosen chairman and Charles E. Waterman, 
secretary, to see what action was necessary for the benefit of the 
village. This meeting elected the following committee to reccom- 
mend some plan : F. H. McDonald, C. H. Dwinal, E. A. Gam- 
mon, S. R. Penney, C. R. Denning, L. W. Mason, A. E. True, A.J. 
Weston, C. N. Burns, E. W, Jordan, E. F. Bradford and James W. 
Wayne, to which were afterward added, J. K. Denning and E. K. 
Holbrook. 

At an adjourned meeting held on the 12th of December, the 
committee reported that the formation of a new town about four 
miles square was advisable and this report was unanimously accept- 
ed. A petitioned was prepared for presentation to the legislature. 
Negotiations were opened with Minot which resulted in setting off 
.that portion of the proposed town without opposition ; but Poland 
made opposition. A charter, however, for the new town was grant- 
ed March 22, T8Q3. 

The first town meeting of Mechanic Falls was held March 30, 
1893, at which the following officers were elected : A. J. Weston, 
F. H. McDonald and J. K. Denning, selectmen ; F. A. Millett, H. 
E. Thurston and F. O. Purington, school committee ; C. H. Dwinal, 
clerk and treasurer ; J. M. Libby, agent, F. E. Tufts, auditor and 
C. L. Hackett, W. C. Chipman, A. D Bemis, road commissioners. 
C. H. Dwinal died October 14, 1893 and J. H. DeCoster was 
elected clerk and O. B. Dwinal treasurer to fill the vacancy. 



44 



The second annual meeting was held March 22, 1894, and the 
following officers elected : J. H. DeCoster, clerk and treasurer ; 
A. J. Weston, F. H. McDonald and J. K. Denning, selectmen ; J. 
M. Libby, agent ; F. E. Tufts, auditor ; J. W. Wayne, C. M. Cobb, 
F. H. McDonald, J, H. King and W. B. Bucknam school commit- 
tee ; M. N. Royal, truant officer : C. L. Hackett, W. C. Chipman 
and J. H. King, road commissioners; O. H. Guptill, collector. 

At an adjourned session of the second annual meeting, held 
March 24, 1894, the town voted to see what arrangements, if any, 
could be made with the Poland & Minot Water & Electric Light Co., 
or the Mechanic Falls Water and Electric Light Co. to put in a sys- 
tem of water works for the village. This action was the outcome o 
several years agitation. The companies mentioned above had ob- 
tained their charters a few years before this action and the first or- 
ganized as follows: J. M. Libby, president; Luther Perkins treas- 
urer; J. Hanscom, Luther Perkins, A. E. True, N. Q. Pope and J. 
M. Libby, trustees. 

Quite a number of the citizens of Mechanic Falls have held of 
fice in the towns of Poland and Minot and in the county of Andro- 
scoggin, and so far as I have been able, I have collected their 
names with the offices they have filled in the following paragraphs : 

Senitors: A. C. Denison, 1866, 1867 ; J. M. Libby, 1891 to 

1893. 

Representatives to the legislature : Jabez True, 1829; R. B. 
Dunn, 1831, 1832; David Dunn, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1848, 
1851 and 1852 ; William Stanton, 1855 ; D. B. Sawyer, 1857 ; Jo- 
seph Bucknam, 1859; William Cousins, 1861 ; William Moore 
1865 ; A. C. Denison. 1865 ; J. A. Bucknam, 1867 ; A. J. Weston, 
1869, 1870; Luther Perkins, 1871, 1872 ; A. T. Denison, 1874, 
1875 ; C. H. Dwinal, 1876 ; J. M. Libby, 1877 ; D. B. Perry, 1879 J 
T. B. Swan, 1880, 1881 ; P. R. Cobb, 1885 ; C. N. Burns, 1887 ; 
P. O. Purington, 1889, 1893. 

I. W. Hanson has been clerk of courts for Androscoggin county 
since J anuary 1 , 1879. 

J. M. Libby was county attorney from 1887 to 189 1. 

County commissioners : S. F. Waterman, 1856 to 1859 ; Luther 
Perkins, 1876 to 1878. 



45 

The following persons hnve been selectmen of Poland : Jabez 
True, 1822, 1825 ; R. B. Dunn, 1830, 1831 ; S. M. Marble, 1836 
to 1838, 1849 5 David Dunn, 1838 ; Samuel Cousins, 1844 to 1848 ; 

D. W True, 1849 to 1852 ; William Cousins, 185 1, 1859 ; W. A. 
Tobie, 1857, 1862, 1863 ; Lewis Perkins, 1857 ; E. W. Filer, 1858 ; 
Luther Perkins, 1858 to 1861 ; A. J. Weston, 1862 to 1869, 1875, 
1892 ; J. S. Gerry, t868, 1869 ; W. W. Waterman, 1867, l8 7 2 J A - 

E. True, 1885, 1886 ; C. E. Stevens, 1887 j S. I. Jewett, 1889 ; E. 
W. Jordan, 1890, 1891. 

The following persons have been clerks of Poland : David Dunn, 
1850 to 1857 ; A. J. Weston, 1862 to 1864 ; A. C. Denison, 1867, 
t868 ; A. T. Denison, 1869 ; I. W. Hanson, 1877 ; Zenas Lane, Jr., 
1880 to 1893. 

The following persons have been selectmen of Minot : Albert 
Valentine, 1842 ; S. F. Waterman, 1845; Jacob Dwinal, 1840; 
Nathanial Cushman, 1847, 1848 ; Joseph Bucknam, 1848, 1849; 
1855 to 1858, 1866 ; Alexander B. Dwinal, 1850, 1859, i860 ; Ja- 
son Hall, 1853, 1854, 1863; William Moore, 1859; Edward G. 
Hawkes, 1861 ; Edmund L. Bailey, 1867 to 1876, 1884, 
1888 j W. A. Tobie, 1870 ; O. B. Dwinal, 1875, 187.7, l8 7S ; John 
Richardson, 1880; P. R. Cobb, 1881 to 1883 ; C. H. Dwinal, 1885, 
1886 ; O. N. Bailey, 1887 j F. H. McDonald, 1888 to 1892. 

The following persons have been clerks of Minot : Albert Val- 
entine, 1850 ; Josiah Carr, 1852 ; R. VV. Carr, 1853 ; J. A. Buck- 
nam, last half of 1853 ; A. B. Dwinal, 1854 to 1856 ; O. B. Dwinal, 
1857 to 1859 ; W. B. Bucknam, 1868, 1881 ; T. B. Swan, 1877 to 
1880; C. H. Dwinal, 1882 to 1892. 

The following citizens have served as postmasters of the office at 
Poland Corner, which was prior to 1841, the post office of this vil- 
lage : 

Jabez True, Jr., 181910 1823 ; David Dunn, 1838 to 1841, 1845, 
1847 to 1849, l8 56 to 1857 ; William Cousins, 1841 to 1845, 1849 
to 1853 ; Freeland Marble. 1845 to 1847. 

R. B. Dunn was the first postmaster at East Poland, receiving hi* 
commission January 28, 1834, and holding it until June 29, 1836, 
when the office was discontinued. 



46 



CHAPTER IX. 



PIGEON HILL. 



So far this history has been confined, almost exclusively, to the 
territory occupied by the village of Mechanic Falls ; but there is a 
part of the town, known as Pigeon Hill, which has very little in 
common with the village, being purely an agricultural community. 
To be sure there is a stretch of farming country up the valley 
of the Little Androscoggin and another on that eminence 
known as Mount Hunger, but these sections have been built up by 
the village and largely dependent upon it. Pigeon Hill was settled 
before the village and is the only portion of the town which has the 
flavor of antiquity. 

The first settlers on Pigeon Hill were Jabez True and Capt. Day, who 
came from New Gloucester in 1 779 or 1 780, and made an opening on 
what is now known as the A. C. Denison farm and for many years 
these were the only settlers. From 1790 to 1795 quite a number 
of settlers came from New Gloucester and Poland Empire. 

jabez True was born in New Gloucester in 1771 and married 

Hannah Jackson of Poland. This family has perhaps been the 

most prominent on the hill. Families in those days were large and 

■ there was one singular thing about them — the usual number of 



47 



children seemed to be twelve and there were twelve in this family. 
Their children were, Sally, Jabez, John, Elizabeth, Hannah, Moses, 
Rochsyllania, Miriam, Abajail, Otis, Rebecca and Daniel VV. They 
were an industrious family and several of them gained distinction in 
the mercantile world. The fine old mansion was built in 1802, which, 
on the death of Jabez, descended to his son, Daniel VV., and after 
him to his only son, Frank D. 

A Captain Ripley cleared the next lot above the True farm, oc- 
cupied for many years by Alden Chandler and afterwards by S. N. 
Haskell. Captain Ripley came from Plympton, Massachusetts, -Ami 
br. >ught with him a negro slave, black Joe, or Joe Prince, as he was 
called, the only slave ever owned within the limits of the town of 
Mechanic Falls. 

Jacob Strout took up a part of the same lot with Captain Ripley. 
He married Sally Bray of the Empire and left quite a family of 
children — Sally, Joshua, Nabby, Jacob, Joseph, Nathaniel, Cyrena, 
Hobert, Adoniram, Cynthia and William. Mr. Strout met with a 
painful accident while clearing his land. In fastenining a chain 
around a log he wished to haul, the oxen became frightened and 
run to the house and the hook of the chain caught in the fleshy part 
of the leg and he was dragged after the oxen. He very narrowly 
escaped death and was lame ever after 

Eben Marble took the next lot west to the Ripley farm and came 
with his bride, Sarah Cash of Cape Elizabeth, in 1 790. He lived here 
until 1 81 2 when he enlisted as a soldier in the war then raging be- 
tween this country and England, went to Burlington, Vermont, and 
died there. 

Among the prominent families of the section are the Dennings. 
George and Simeon brothers, came from Salem, Massachusetts, in 
1 791 or 1792 and took up lots on the hill. George cleared several 
sections of land and built first a log house on what is now known as 
the Haley Pulsifer farm, which on being burned, caused him to buy 
the lot west and to erect building on the farm now owned by 
his grandson, J. K. Denning. Simeon made several clearings, lived 
in several places on the hill and in 1830 moved to Shirley, Maine, 
where he died. Both of these men left large families 
who have been prominent in this section. George mar- 



4 8 

ried Elenel Rollins of New Gloucester, by whom he had twelve 
children as follows : Samuel, Stephen, Hannah, Ruth, Ruth 
2d, Basheby, George, Job, Moses, Rhoda, James and Jacob. Sim- 
eon Denning married Rebecca Chickering and had eleven 
children : Simeon, Peter, Frederic, John, Levi, Lyford, Elena, Lydia, 
Joseph, Lois and Otis. 

Among the earlier settlers was Dr. Peter Brooks, "an Indian doc- 
tor", who came from Plympton, Massachusetss, and has the dis- 
tinction of building the first frame house within the present town of 
Mechanic Falls. It is said he came by his death from inhaling 
poison from the fangs of rattlesnakes, which he used to get from 
Rattlesnake Mountain in Raymond, during the winter season, for 
the oil which he used in his practice. 

John Cousins of Wells, came to the hill in 1795. He married 
for his first wife Lucy Hatch and for his second Sarah Cushman of 
Hebron. He purchased the Jabez True opening. His family con- 
sisted of fourteen as follows : Samuel, William, Sarah, Eliza, Lucy, 
Thomas, Susan, Abagail, Humphery, Mary J., Adaline, Harriet, Ja- 
cob T., and James D. 

Alden Chandler came from Plympton, Massachusetts, in 1800. 
By his first wife, Priscilla Cushman of Hebron, he had ten children : 
Priscilla, Harvey, Alvin, Josiah, Lydia, Christania, Benjamin F., 
Gaius, Jacob and Rachel T. His second wife was Hepzebah Cool- 
edge of Livermore. 

Nathaniel Bray come to this locality from the Empire in 18 18 and 
Daniel Bray, his brother, in 1820. Many of their descendents live 
here and a section of the town is called the Bray District in their 
honor. They left five children each. Nathanial married Deborah 
Keen and their children were : Mary, Xoa, Stephen, James and 
Eliphalet. Daniel married Xoa Keene and their children were : 
George W., Sulivan A., Emiline, Daniel J. and Jefferson. 

The business of the hill has been agriculture, but in early days 
(1820) Reuben B. Dunn kept a store here, Hiram Hilburn did 
blacksmithing and Joseph Perkins made earthern pans. 



49 



CHAPTER X. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 



Luther Perkins was the son of Oliver and Sarah (Elmes) Per- 
kins and was born at Oxford, Maine, May 9, 181 7. He was edu- 
cated at the common schools. He was married March 2, 1841 to 
Mary Lewis Waite, youngest daughter of Jonathan Waite of Poland, 
and moved to West Poland, where he lived until 1888 vvhen he 
moved to Mechanic Falls. He served as selectman of Poland three 
years, represented the town in the legislature in 1871 2 and was 
county commissioner in 1876-7 and 8. He was a member of Ty- 
rian Lodge of Masons, Union Royal Arch Chapter and Lewiston 
Commandary, Knight Templars ; Monami Lodge and Orion En- 
campment, Odd Fellows and Colfax Lodge D. of R. ; Like Side 
Grange ; St. Elmo Lodge, K. of P. ; and Osceola Tribe of Red 
Men. 

Adna Curtis Denison, son of Isaac and Electra (Newell) Deni- 
son, was born in Burke, Vermont, November 15, 181 5. Tiie Den- 
ison family can trace their ancestry in England back to 1 165. The 
American Denisons are descendents of William and Margeret Den- 
ison, who came to this country in the ship Lion during the year 
1 63 1. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common 
schools and at 15 become a clerk in the store of Morrill & Denison. 
In 1842 he opened a store at Norway, Maine, in connection with 



5o 



E. W. Filer and Clark W. True, known as A. C. Denison & Co. 
They did a large trade in general merchandise up and down the 
Androscoggin valley, supplying contractors of the Grand Trunk 
Railroad then in process of construction. They had branch stores 
at Auburn, South Paris and Bethel, Maine, and Gorhara, Northum- 
berland and North Stratford, New Hampshire. He continued in 
this business until 1853. In the mean time, in connection with Dr. 
Asa Danforth, he built the first paper mill in the state of Maine at 
Norway. In 185 1 he begun the manufacture of paper at Mechanic 
Falls. Mr. Denison married Hannah, daughter of Thomas and 
Mary True, September 13, 1838, and who died March 23, 1881. 
They had two children, Adna T. and Fannie M. The latter mar- 
ried Calvin M. Cram. Both were connected with their father in 
business. Mr. Denison was a Universalist in religion, a Republican 
in politics and has served in both branches of the legislature. His 
son has also served two terms in the legislature. Mr. Denison may 
well be called the father of the paper industry of Maine and the 
builder of Mechanic Falls. 

Josiah Appleton Bucknam, son of Calvin and Zilpha (Barrows) 
Bucknam, was born at Hebron, Maine, March 21, 182 1. He was 
educated at the common schools and Hebron Academy. He be- 
gan life by working on a farm summers and teaching school winters. 
In May 1843 ne began business as a pedler and in the fall of the 
same year went into trade with his brother at West Minot, under 
the firm name of J. &. J. A. Bucknam. In 1847 they moved to 
Mechanic Falls. In 1843 they had begun the manufacture of 
men's cowhide and women's kid boots at West Minot which business 
was also moved to Mechanic Falls and continued until 1850. In 
1852 Joseph retired and his brother introduced the custom 
clothing depirtment the same year and two year's later the sale 
work department. In 1862 Francis Cobb became partner and re- 
mained in the business until 1869 ; in 1864 H. L. Jones was admitted, 
C. H. Dminal, Joseph and W. B. Bucknam in 1869 ; in 1871 Mr. 
Jones retired and E. A. Gammon was admitted ; in 1876 Messrs. 
Bucknam and Gammon bought out the other partners. Mr. Buck- 
nam married Nancy Judson Glover, who died May 19, 1886, and 



5i 

had three sons by her, Judson J., Edward H. C, who died August 
13, 1 89 1, and Charles W. He was a Universalist in religion and 
a Republican in politics. He has been town clerk and treasurer of 
Minot and has represented the town in the legislature, and was a 
writer on matters of local history. He died March 5, 1894. 

Captain Jacob Dwinal, moved to Mechanic Falls about 1836 
and was until his death, in 185 1, at the age of 58, a very successful 
business man. He left nine children, several of whom have been 
important factors in the upbuilding of Mechanic Falls. Oliver B., 
Charles H. and W. C. have been successful merchants and the for- 
mer was connected with the first paper mill in town, has been a 
large real estate dealer, was postmaster and has held impor- 
tant positions in the towns of Minot and Mechanic Falls. Charles 
H. was employed for many years in the auditor's office in Washing- 
ton, was a member of the firm of J. A. Bucknam & Co. and O. B. 
& C, H. Dwinal, was clerk and treasurer of the towns of Minot and 
Mechanic Falls and represented the former in the legislature. He 
died October 13, 1893. Winfield C. was a very successful business 
man, was one of the promoters and proprietors of Maple Grove 
Cemetary, and dying in 1879, was the first person buried in it. 
Lieutenant F. E. Dwinal served in the army and has been postmas- 
ter at Mechanic Falls for eight years. In January 1894, Fred E. 
and Winfield C, sons of C. H. Dwinal, succeeded to the firm 
of O. B. & C. H. Dwinal. 

Orington W. Hawkes, son of Jonathan G. and Polly (Cushman) 
Hawkes, was born at Minot, November 17, 1824 and has been a 
successful hardware dealer of Mechanic Falls, since 1865 ; Wil- 
liam Whitney has been associated with him since 1872 and S.U. 
Hawkes, his brother, was a member of the firm at one time. Mr. 
Hawkes married for his first wife Annie A. K. Hall by whom he had 
five children. She died in 1872. His second wife was Mary Ellen, 
daughter of Cyrus S. Packard of West Auburn. 

Dimon B. Perry, son of David B. and Betsey (Curtis) Perry, has 
been closely itentified with the business interests of Mechanic Falls 
since 1861. In 1892 he removed to Texas. He has represented 
the towns of Minot and Poland in the legislature. 



52 



Prescoit R. Cobb is the son of William Cobb, Jr., who entered 
the hotel business at Mechanic Falls in 1847. Mr. Cobb succeeded 
his father in this business, has been selectman of Minot and repre- 
sented her in the legislature. 

James H. DeCoster is a native of Buckfield and the son of Hen- 
ry and Abigail (Irish) DeCoster. In 1865 he was appointed post- 
master at Buckfield and continued until 1877. He moved to 
Mechanic Falls in 1880. He has been secretary of the Mason's 
Mutual Relief Association since 1886. 

H n. David Dunn was born in Cornish, Maine, in 181 1, read 
law with John Fairfield, Saco, was admitted to the bar in 1833 and 
settled in Poland, where he resided until his death, February 17, 
1894, although for a number of years he had a law office in Me- 
chanic Falls. He represented Poland in the legislature from 1841 
to 1844, was speaker the last two years, and was a member of the 
senate in 1845. While speaker of the house he became acting gov- 
ernor by the election of Governor Fairfield to the United States Sen- 
ate and the death of the acting governor, Edward Kavanaugh. 
From 1857 to 1861 he was in the post office department in Wash- 
ington. 

Andrew J. Weston was born in Cumberland, Maine, April 17, 
1830. He worked as a carpenter until 1856, when he btgan mer- 
cantile life at Poland Corner and continued in this business two 
years. He then bought a farm on White Oak Hill, where he resided 
until 1873 when he moved to Mechanic falls to engage in the car- 
penter business. He has served the town of Poland as clerk, se- 
lectman and representative to the legislature ; he was the first se- 
lectman of Mechanic Falls also. He has been twice married, his 
first wife being Laura S. Jackson and his second Harriet E. Bailey • 

William Wallace Waterman, son of Daniel Waterman, was born 
September 19, 1824, and was one of the earlier school teachers and 
business men of Mechanic Falls. In 1849 he married the oldest 
daughter of Captain Jacob Dwinal. In 1857 he went to Minnesota 
and engaged in the real estate business. He served Anoka county 
in that state as auditor and commissioner. He was also connected 
with the treasury department in Washington for several years. In 
1866 he returned and cut up his farm into streets and lots. 



53 



Hon. Jesse M. Libby was born in Danville, March 23, 1846 and 
was educated in the public schools of Poland, Nichols Latin School 
and Bates College. In 1871 and '72 he was principal of the East- 
port High School. In 1874 he was admitted to the Androscoggin 
Rar and has since practised law in Mechanic Falls. He has served in 
both branches of the legislature and has been county attorney- In 
December 187 1 he married Kittie Perkins. 

Francis O. Purington, Esq., was born at Embden, Maine, Au- 
gust 16, 1852, and graduated at Bowdoin College in 1880. He 
taught School at Topsham one year and at Mechanic Falls three. 
In 1884 he was admitted to the Androscoggin Bar and has since 
practised in Mechanic Falls. He represented Minot in the legisla- 
tures of 1890 and 'q2 and was largely instrumental in obtaining the 
charter for the new town. He is interested in antiquities and a 
member of the Maine Historical Society. 

J. W . Pknnev is a native of New Gloucester and began life as a 
blacksmith. For many years he had charge of the repairs for A.C. 
Denison & Co. In 1875 he built a machine shop to make scroll 
saws of his invention ; in 1880 he built the large shop on Maple St. 
for the manufactory of steam engines and paper making machinery. 
In 1886 his sons, Almont R. and Samuel R. were admitted to the 
firm. Mr. Penney is a graceful writer as well as an expert machin- 
ist. 

Mrs. Louise Barns Marble Woodman was one of, if not the first 
school teacher in Mechanic Falls. She taught school here when 
there was but one house in the village and when there was no bridge 
across the river. She uses to take her scholais in a boat and cross 
the river in the morning and return with them at night. She was 
born on Pigeon Hill and lived in Poland. 

F. H. McDonald was born at Standish, Maine, in 1857 and ed- 
ucated at the public schools and Westbrook Seminary. He began 
life as a school teacher, has taught 22 terms and served his native 
town as school supervisor. For many years he has been a promi- 
nent business man of Mechanic Falls and served the town 
of Minot as school supervisor and selectman. The idea of making 
a new town out of the village of Mechanic Falls originated with Mr. 



54 



McDonald and he probably did more for its formation than any other 
man. He was elected a member of the fir^t board of selectmen. 
He is a Democrat in politics and has been he candidate of his par- 
ty for both branches of the legislature. 



00 



APPENDIX. 



The statistics of Agassiz Commandery, No. 285, United Order of 
the Golden Cross did not reach me in time to be incorporated in 
the chapter on societies. The commandery was instituted July 8, 
1883, by D. G. C. Tristram Hersey of Auburn. Following is a list 
of the Past Noble Commanders : John D. Holt, Charles E. Stod- 
dard, Caroline E. Evans, O. R. Tibbetts, E. C. Heath, F. E. Har- 
mon, E. W. Jordan, D. H. Walker, C. M. Sawyer, Fred Chaplin, 
A. R. Walker, Ella R. Chaplin, A. L. Rounds, Flora R. Thurston, 
Mav L. Walker and C. D. Herrick. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




013 787 180 4 



IB 




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